Voting-booth



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. S. BABCOOK 8v D.. A. GOURLAY. VOTING BOOTH.

No. 447,239. Patented Feb. 24, 1891.

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(No-Model.)

W/-TNESSES ATTORNEYS me Nonms Evans co., moro-urna. wnsmnamn, D. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

O. S. BABOOOK 81; D. A. GOURLAY. VOTING BOOTH.

No. 447,239.. Patented Feb. 24, 1891.

, A TTOHNEYS (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

C. s. B41300014 an D. A. GOURLAY.

- VOTING-BOOTH. Y

No. 447,239. l V1244411444 Peb. 24,1891.

Fl tiztm A TTOHNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OALEB S. BABOOOK AND DAVID A. G'OURLAY, OF MOUNT VERNON, NElV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,239, dated February 24,1891.

Application led August 21,1890. Serial No. 362,608. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that we, CALEB S. BABcooK and DAVID A. GOURLAY, both citizens of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of lVestchester and State of New York, have invented, new and useful Imp-rovements in Voting-Booths, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to voting booths or compartments for the use of voters at elections; 'and-lit consists in certain novel features and combinations described in the following specification, and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to lthe accompanying drawings, in which` Figure l is an elevation in perspective of a voting-booth set up ready for use, the canvas of the door and of the right-hand side of the booth being partly broken away so as to expose to view the shelf and some other portions of the interior. Some other portions of the interior are indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a top view of the booth shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 shows the booth when packed up for transportation or for storage. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modification by which two booths are arranged in a row and connected with each other, the booths having one side in common. Fig. 5 is a top View of the double booths shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows the sides of a booth unhinged and detached from each other ready to be packed. shows the door detached.' Fig. 8 shows the double or modified booth thrown open, some of its parts being broken away. The remaining figures 9, l0, and 1l show a modification. The general object of our invention is the construction of a removable voting booth or compartment which shall, among other things, possess simplicity of construction, cheapness both in the materials made use of and the `method of construction, facility in setting it up and taking it down, and in packing for .storage or transportation. Y Y,

In carrying out our invention we construct Aframes A B O D preferably of wood, and cover them with white or light-colored muslin, can vas, paper, or cloth E, preferring such covering material vas is translucent-that is t-o say,

5o such as will permit the transmission of light .through it into the booth. The cloth or paper is secured upon the several frames by Fig. 7

tacking it to them, as is indicated by the row of tacks F, (shown in Fig. l on the molding G,) or the covering may be secured to them by other suitable means. The frames A B O are of equal size, and when properly covered, as described, form the sides and back of the booth, the remaining or front part being occupied by the covered frame D, which constitutes the door of the booth, and which is constructed substantially in the saine manner as the frames for the sides and back, exi cepting that it is shorter, as shown lin the drawings. Each of the framesABC is made of two long rails connected at top and bottom and at about the middle of their length by transverse piecesl, and the door-frame D is made in a similar manner; butthe said frames may be made in any other suitable manner,

so as to secure the requisite lightness and strength. n v

We have shown the frames A B O D covered only on one side with the covering ma-v pleasure, for the purpose of setting the same up and for packing them for storage or trans portation.

'The front upper parts of the frames A O are held to each other by a brace-bar` J, one end of which is pivoted to the inner side of the molding G, as is shown in Fig. 2 and by dotted lines in Figs. 6 and 8, the letter K designating the pivot. The brace-bar .l extends from the molding` G across the space intervening between it and lthe front upper' part of side frame C, and is locked to the upper transverse piece Z of said frame by a dovetail joint L, formed on it, and the piece Z, as shown roo When the brace-barJis lifted out of its dovetail joint L, it swings down Vits pivot K and hangs on the inner side of the molding G, as shown in Figs. (i and 8.

'lhe door D, observing Figs. l andi), is hinged not directly to the side frame C, but to a molding M, whose inner side is hinged to the front edge of the said side frame C, the construction being such that in folding and packing up the booth the molding M and door D swing inwardly against the inner face of the side frame C.' The hinges I, by which the door is hung to the swinging molding M, are springliinges, which operate to close the door against the brace-bar J. The door is provided with a knob P for pulling it open.

In order to give stcadiness to the booth when set up for use, we secure to the lower parts of the side frames A C angle-irons O and screw their horizontal feet to the floor.

The booth is provided with a removable writing-shelf Q, which is of such length as to extend across the inside of the booth when set up, its ends resting on the middle transverse shelf-supporting pieces Z and being rabbeted at R R to fit the adjacent parts of the side and back frames A B C. The shelf :is provided with a well S for an inkstand, and another T for a inucilage-bottle, and another well U to receive a candle. The shelf is prevented from sliding forward in the booth by small stops V V, secured to the middle transverse shelf-supporting pieces l of the side framesA C, which allow the shelf to pass over them when it is being inserted in the booth, but prevent it from sliding out.

\Vhen it is desired to pack the booth for storage until future elections or for transportation, the angle-irons are unfastened from t-he licor, the writing-shelf is removed from the booth, the brace-bar J is disconnected from the top of the side frame C and swung into the recess of the molding G, the hinges which unite the back B and the side C are disconnected, and the back frame B is swung inward against the inner face of the side frame A and behind molding G and behind the brace-bar J, as seen in Fig. 3. The folding and packing being continued, the door D, with its molding M, is placed next, and since the door is shorter than the side and back frames there is room enough at its bottom for the shelf Q. Next to the door and shelf is the side frame C, which completes the packing of the booth. The package can now be corded, so as to hold the different parts together while the package is laid away.

Figs. 4, 5, and S show a modification of our invention in which two booths or compartments are connected to each other under the same mode of construction, except that the side C of the first one of the double booths is also the sideA of the second one of the double booths, thus saving one of the sides by the modification, the packing together of the parts being essentially the vsame as in the ease of single booths.

By the use of a translucent cloth or paper covering on the 'frames of the booth we lighten up its interior sufficiently to enable the voter to prepare his ballots even on a ndark day without the aid of gas or other light to be introduced directly into the booth. Besides this advantage we are enabled to produce a. booth having verylittle weight andwhieh can therefore be easily handled.

The shelf Q, instead of being in one piece, may consist of two hinged sections, as shown in Fig. 9 in plan view, in Fig. l0 in perspective, and in Fig. 1l in its 'packed or closed state. When to be used, the shelf-sections can be spread apart and laid in place in the booth, as seen in Fig. 9, and when not in use the shelf-sections can be folded together and the folded shelf suspended by hooks or pintles on the shelf adapted to engage suitable eyes in the frame B.

Vhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In avoting-bootli,tlieindependentframes composing the sides, back, and door, hinged together as described, and provided with supporting-pieces for a detachable shelf, in combination with a translucent covering material secured to said frames, and a ,brace-bar connected with one of the sides and adapted to engage the opposite side for connecting such sides and forming a stop for the door, substantially as described.

2. In a voting-booth,the independent frames composing the sides, back, and door, hinged together as described, and provided with supporting-pieces for a detachable shelf, in combination with translucent covering material secured to said frames, and a brace-bar pivotally connected with one of the sides and having a dovetailed end to engage a dovetailed recess on the opposite side for connect ing such sides, substantially as described.

3. In a votingbooth,the independent frames composing the sides, back, and door, hinged together and provided with supporting-pieces for a detachable shelf, in combination with translucent covering material secured to said frames, and a brace-bar pivotally connected with one of the frames at its top end and adapted to detachably engage the opposite side for connecting such sides together and forming a stop to the door in its closing movement` substantially as described.

4. In a noting booth,the independent frames composing the sides and baclchinged together and provided with supporting-pieces for a detachable shelf, in combination with a translucentcoverin g material secured tothe frames, a molding attached to one'of the sides, a mold- IOO IIO

ing hinged to the opposite side, and a swingand provided with shelf-supporting pieces, in

combination with a translucent covering material secured to said frames,a molding rigand a brace-bar connected with the rigidlyattached molding and adapted to detachably engage the side which carries the hinged molding, substantially as described.

G. In a voting-booth, the combination of the independent frames composing the sides and baclghinged together andprovided with shelfsupporting pieces and covered with translucent material, a molding secured to each of the sides, a swinging door hinged to one of the moldings, a brace-bar connected to the other molding and adapted to detachably engage the opposite side to connect such sides ,and form a stop for the door, and angle-irons s ecured to the lower ends of the sides and of the moldings for rigidly attaching such parts to a floor, substantially as described.

7. In a voting-booth Whose sides and back are composed of independent frames hinged together, the combination, with the side frame A, of the molding G, secured to and forming with the said side frame a recess, and the locking-brace connected to the molding in said recess and adapted to engage the opposite side frame .to connect such 'side frames vand form a stop for a hinged swinging door connected with one of thel side frames, substantially as described. v

S. In avoting booth or compartment Whose sides and back and door are composed of independent frames hinged together, the movable brace J, having one end pivoted to the molding G andthe other end adapted to interlock with the side frame C, said brace being adapted to hold the sides A and C in place and to operate as a door-stop for the door of the booth, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

GALEB S. BABCOCK. l DAVID A. GOURLAY.

Witnesses as to the signature of Caleb S. k 

